How Can Schools Help Wild Mammals?
Mammals are fascinating, exciting and important to healthy landscapes that work for nature and people. But we are at risk of losing many wonderful species from our lives and landscapes. We need to act quickly to turn things around – and your school can play an important part!
A classroom visit to learn about footprint tunnels. PC: Kate Lasen-Daw
Discover your local mammals
Surveying local wildlife is an important first step in working to help nature recover. Mammals, especially those native to the UK, are under-recorded, which makes it difficult to take action to help them. Many mammals stay hidden from humans and are nocturnal, so they don’t get seen and recorded. This is where schools and colleges can make a real difference.
School grounds provide perfect opportunities to discover what mammals are around in an area. Whether grounds are big enough to have mammals living in them, or just have wild visitors after dark, identifying and recording the animals present in the grounds can give a fantastic insight into the mammal populations in the wider area. And school grounds can offer great opportunities to help mammals thrive, by providing habitat and quiet spaces to roam away from roads.
By helping to monitor mammals, students not only contribute vital data for conservation, but also gain fascinating insights into the wildlife around them.
The Mammal Society can provide advice and resources to start monitoring your wild visitors, through the use of footprint tunnels, wildlife cameras and surveys for signs of mammals in your grounds and beyond.
“A future for the next generation which is better than the last…” a response from a secondary pupil when asked what they’d like to see changed. PC: Fiona Day
Learn about wildlife and conservation
Monitoring mammals helps students build scientific literacy, fieldwork skills, an understanding of real-world conservation, and experience handling data. These activities inspire students to actively participate in the protection of wildlife and the environment. Gaining insight into the wildlife around them can lead to a stronger sense of responsibility for local ecosystems, and many become passionate advocates for wildlife conservation.
The Mammal Society offers schools the tools and resources they need to get started. We provide curriculum-based materials, live lessons, and in-person visits (when possible). For schools eager to take their involvement further, we also offer support in setting up School Mammal Groups, allowing students to deepen their impact on local conservation efforts.
Which classroom mascot will you choose? PC: Matt Larsen-Daw
Schools Membership: A Year of Mammal Monitoring
By signing up for the Mammal Society's Schools’ Membership, your school can play a vital role in mammal conservation. For £75 per year, your school will receive a welcome pack full of exciting resources to help engage students in mammal monitoring and education.
What’s Included in the Schools Welcome Pack?
Mammal Society Junior Member Handbook: Packed with information on mammals and tips for monitoring and protecting them.
Mammal Mascot Figurine: Choose from a variety of species like hedgehog, fox, red squirrel, and more.
Membership Card & Fact-file: Dive deeper into the species your school or class adopts as its mascot.
Footprint Tunnel Kit: An interactive, hands-on activity for students to identify mammal tracks.
Wildflower Meadow Seeds: Plant a mammal-friendly habitat right at your school.
Additionally, your school will receive four engaging seasonal newsletters that fold-out into posters, filled with activities, competitions, and fun mammal facts to keep students excited about conservation.
Take the Next Step
By joining the Mammal Society as a School Member, your school will gain access to exclusive resources, educational materials, and the opportunity to contribute directly to the conservation of our native mammals. You’ll also join a network of schools dedicated to inspiring the next generation of wildlife champions.
To sign up for the Mammal Society’s Schools Membership, simply email us at education@themammalsociety.org. We’ll help you get started and guide you through your journey in mammal conservation!
Together, we can empower young people to become active participants in preserving our precious mammal species and the ecosystems that support them.